When to Use Ezetimibe Medicine?
Ezetimibe (Zetia) is a cholesterol-lowering medicine. In clinical practice, this medicine is used to lower LDL and assist patients in reaching a target goal. As you may know, ezetimibe reduces cholesterol absorption in the small intestine, resulting in a reduction in cholesterol supply to the liver and forcing the liver to boost cholesterol clearance from the bloodstream. That is why doctors do careful in office medication dispensing for this one especially.
Overall, tolerance isn't an issue when ezetimibe used in practice, which is great. The disadvantage of ezetimibe is that it does not have the same ability to decrease LDL cholesterol as statins. High-intensity statins can drop LDL by up to 50%, whereas ezetimibe will only lower LDL by 15-20% at best.
Why would we use this drug if it isn't an effective LDL-lowering agent? Ezetimibe is typically used as an add-on medication in patients who do not meet their LDL goal and are at a high risk of cardiovascular events.
Assume you have a patient who suffered a heart attack six months ago. They take 40 mg of rosuvastatin every day and have an LDL level of 92. We would aim for an LDL objective of at least 70 and possibly even 50 in this very high-risk patient. Doctors may keep that discussion for another day, but regardless of whether the objective is 70 or 50 percent, they will not achieve it. This is an excellent candidate for ezetimibe, and it is the circumstance in which I most frequently see it utilized.
Ezetimibe: How to Use It
Before taking ezetimibe read the patient history if one is available from your pharmacist. Inquire with your doctor if you have any concerns.
Consume this medication orally every day, with or without food, as instructed by your doctor.
The dosage is determined by your medical condition and treatment response.
Consume ezetimibe for minimum 2 hours ahead of or 4 hours post taking a bile acid sequestrant. The products may tie to ezetimibe and prevent it from being effectively absorbed by your body.
To receive the best benefit from this drug, take it on a daily basis. Take it at the same time every day to help you remember.
Even if you experience fine, keep taking this medication. The majority of persons with high cholesterol do not experience any symptoms. It could take up to two weeks for you to get the full effects of this medication. For in office medication dispensing you need a reliable source. See us at PD-RX Pharmaceuticals for more information.
**Disclaimer: The information on this page is not intended to be a doctor's advice, nor does it create any form of patient-doctor relationship.